Sec. 51-245. Duty of jurors. Prohibited conversations. Fines. Assistance of interpreter for deaf and hearing impaired jurors. (a) After a cause has been committed
to a jury, the jurors shall be under the charge of an officer appointed by the court, who
shall permit no other person to be present with them or to speak to them when assembled
for deliberation. The jurors shall not converse with any person who is not a member of
the jury relative to the cause under consideration before they have returned their verdict.
When the jurors have agreed upon a verdict, they shall return it to the court.
(b) If any juror converses with any person except other members of the jury concerning the cause while it is under consideration, or voluntarily suffers any other person to
converse with him, the verdict, on motion, may be set aside. The court before which
the action is pending shall cause the juror to come before it and, if on inquiry the court
finds him guilty, it shall fine him ten dollars. If any juror is convicted a second time of
such offense, he shall be forever disqualified to sit as a juror in any case.
(c) If the officer appointed to attend on the jury, or if any juror, is guilty of any
disorderly conduct or neglect of duty, or disobeys the orders of the court, the court may
fine him not more than ten dollars.
(d) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsections (a) and (b) of this section, if any
juror is deaf or hearing impaired, such juror shall have the assistance of a qualified
interpreter who shall be present throughout the proceeding and when the jury assembles
for deliberation. Such interpreter shall be provided by the Bureau of Rehabilitative Services at the request of the juror or the court. Such interpreter shall be subject to rules
adopted pursuant to section 51-245a.
(1949 Rev., S. 7970; P.A. 82-248, S. 131; P.A. 85-271, S. 2, 5; P.A. 11-44, S. 44.)
History: P.A. 82-248 rephrased the section and inserted Subsec. indicators; P.A. 85-271 added Subsec. (d) re assistance
of qualified interpreter for deaf and hearing impaired persons throughout proceeding and deliberation; P.A. 11-44 amended
Subsec. (d) by replacing "Commission on the Deaf and Hearing Impaired" with "Bureau of Rehabilitative Services",
effective July 1, 2011.
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